The Number in Context
The published literature reports surgical site infection rates for plastic surgery procedures ranging from 1% to 5% depending on the procedure, the facility, and the patient population. Rates above 5% are considered high. Rates below 1% are considered exceptional.
NPSC’s sub-1% rate across a diverse range of procedures — facelifts, blepharoplasty, tummy tucks, liposuction, breast surgery, and more — reflects a standard that is maintained not for one procedure type but across the entire practice.
Most practices do not publish their infection rate. The fact that we do is itself a statement about accountability and transparency.
What Keeps the Rate Low
An Accredited Surgical Facility
NPSC’s surgical suite is an accredited out-of-hospital premise, meeting all standards set by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). This means regular independent inspections, mandatory equipment standards, documented infection control protocols, and emergency preparedness requirements.
Accreditation is not optional window dressing — it is a rigorous standard that ensures the facility operates at a level of safety comparable to a hospital operating room.
Sterile Protocols
Every procedure follows strict aseptic technique from preparation to closure. This includes operating room environment controls, instrument sterilization processes, surgical draping protocols, and post-operative wound care instructions provided to every patient.
The details matter: how the room is prepared, how instruments are handled, how the surgical field is maintained throughout the procedure. A sub-1% infection rate is built on thousands of small decisions made consistently, every time.
Local Anesthesia Preference
Dr. Huq prefers local anesthesia for the majority of procedures performed at NPSC. This is a published area of expertise — he is a contributor to the Elsevier textbook on local anesthesia in plastic surgery.
The safety advantage of local anesthesia is meaningful. General anesthesia requires intubation, ventilation, and deeper levels of sedation — each of which introduces additional risk factors. Local anesthesia avoids these entirely. Patients breathe on their own, maintain their reflexes, and recover faster.
The result is not just a safer anesthesia experience — it is a shorter total operative time, less tissue trauma, and a reduced inflammatory response, all of which contribute to lower infection risk.
Surgeon-Led Environment
At NPSC, Dr. Huq performs every surgical procedure himself. There is no delegation to residents, fellows, or assistants for critical portions of the operation. The surgeon who plans your procedure is the surgeon who executes it, start to finish.
This continuity — from consultation through surgery through follow-up — eliminates the communication gaps and handoff errors that can compromise safety in larger institutional settings.
Patient Selection and Preparation
Safety begins before surgery. Dr. Huq evaluates every patient for factors that increase infection risk — smoking, diabetes, immunosuppressive medications, BMI, and other variables. Patients who are not good candidates are told so directly. Patients who need to optimize their health before surgery are given clear guidance and timelines.
Pre-operative instructions include specific hygiene protocols, medication adjustments, and nutritional guidance — all designed to put the patient in the best possible condition for safe healing.
Post-Operative Monitoring
Every NPSC patient receives detailed post-operative care instructions and direct access to the clinic during their recovery. Vikki, Dr. Huq’s patient coordinator, provides after-hours support for patient concerns. Early identification and treatment of any complication — however minor — prevents small issues from becoming larger ones.
Follow-up appointments are included in the all-inclusive surgical quote. Dr. Huq monitors healing personally at each visit.
Why This Matters to You
An infection after surgery means pain, delay, additional treatment, potential scarring, and in rare cases, compromise of the surgical result. Choosing a facility with a documented safety record — not just a claim of safety, but a published, tracked number — is one of the most important decisions you can make.
You cannot control every variable in surgery. But you can choose a surgeon and a facility where the variables that can be controlled are controlled with discipline and consistency.
Learn More
To learn more about NPSC’s facility, visit Our Facility. To learn about Dr. Huq’s credentials and experience, visit About Dr. Huq. To understand the full NPSC approach, visit Why Choose Us.
To schedule your consultation, call (905) 357-2360 or visit Book Your Consultation.
Niagara Plastic Surgery Centre | Suite 1, 5668 Main Street, Niagara Falls, Ontario L2G 5Z4 (905) 357-2360 | Toll Free 1-866-929-3223 | niagaraplasticsurgery@gmail.com